Aside from going ahead and doing my HTML class, I have decided to go ahead and start working on the weather station that I have always wanted to put up! This is the new project I have wanted to do for sometime. I have started putting my notes in order and continue the work. This means I am ready for the analysis and design.
First, need to go ahead and write something up, then focus on the design. Will definitely need to reference this blog as a point to start!!!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Many, Many Ideas
I have so many ideas. Yet, I don't know how to get them started. There is so much out there, so much to learn. I often wonder how this whole development idea got away from me. It seemed just yesterday, I felt on top of the development community: that I knew all the appropriate languages and development techniques. Now, there are so many things to learn, so many directions to go. Everything has grown so rapidly, that I often wonder, when and where was I left behind. Take Java, when I first learned it, Java 2 hadn't even come out. Now, there is talk about Java 1.7! I just downloaded Java 1.6, and to me, they should have stopped at Java 1.4.3!! There are so many packages, so many classes, that I honestly have no clue what all they do. It used to be Java could be summed up in the Java in a Nutshell book. Now, that does not do the trick. Several years ago, they introduced Swing, now you need more than Nutshell book, as well as the Core Java books. And, they don't even cover everything.
This past semester, I took a Visual Basic class as part of trying to come "up to speed", with a language that is simple, yet important to use (for future use mainly). It seems like a pretty "self-taught" style language, but it would still be good to learn. So, I have a book, took a class, and have some projects that I did.
Yet, at the end of the day, I still have all these ideas rattleling in my head. Yet, often I don't know how to express them. Many people have told me that I should give up on these projects--that I should just use my skills for work. If that were the case, I often think I would just live a life of even more quiet desparation. For me, I feel that I need to express my ideas in some form or another. Yet, I often don't know how. This development blog has been perfect for me. This is a place to at least put down my thougts in a journal type form. Actually, I should just update the wikis and blogs related to the projects I have released. Often, when I start these projects, I think of the things that I need to do as part of the project. Often, these "things start to build up" and it makes the taks seem unsurmountable. I often should think of these things as part of the project itself. That would make it as part of the project's allure and chalenge.
One of the ideas I have is making a weather station from a 1-wire device. As part of my running, I discovered something to add to my Pace Calculator application. It seems for my Garmin, the max pace is not given, but the max speed is. This is a possible improvement that could be added to the Pace Calculator--to take run speed and translate into a pace.
I often wonder if I am just waisting my time with all this. I often wonder if I should just give up on all this. There are household and family projects that I often put on the "back burner" as an attempt to do all of this. Not to mention this is less time that I spend with my family. So often, things get overlooked when I start these projects: not to mention the fact that I might consider going to grad-school. Grad-School, how do you shuffle that into the mix? For the working individual, time is a valuable commodity. For me, I have so much vaction time that I need to use this year, that perhaps, I will get do completing all the things I want to accomplish (this would be a great year to go to grad-school because of that).
I would also like to place a lot of the code from the many projects that I have done on a "web reprository" (at least on a web page local to the home network). That way, I know where they are. This old code has so many good examples. Not only that, but I can put my .bashrc from Linux on there as a way of remembering how and what to set up (as well as the .vimrc). Plus, any thing else I would like to remember, but forgot--like setting up an executable JAR file. This is something I have NEVER documented!!! I can't believe that! How stupid am I?
Well, I just need the disciplie to "Just Do It" (as Nike would put it). In the end, writting this out did help. Well, it is now time to start taking action. That is what all this comes down to: stop talking and start doing.
This past semester, I took a Visual Basic class as part of trying to come "up to speed", with a language that is simple, yet important to use (for future use mainly). It seems like a pretty "self-taught" style language, but it would still be good to learn. So, I have a book, took a class, and have some projects that I did.
Yet, at the end of the day, I still have all these ideas rattleling in my head. Yet, often I don't know how to express them. Many people have told me that I should give up on these projects--that I should just use my skills for work. If that were the case, I often think I would just live a life of even more quiet desparation. For me, I feel that I need to express my ideas in some form or another. Yet, I often don't know how. This development blog has been perfect for me. This is a place to at least put down my thougts in a journal type form. Actually, I should just update the wikis and blogs related to the projects I have released. Often, when I start these projects, I think of the things that I need to do as part of the project. Often, these "things start to build up" and it makes the taks seem unsurmountable. I often should think of these things as part of the project itself. That would make it as part of the project's allure and chalenge.
One of the ideas I have is making a weather station from a 1-wire device. As part of my running, I discovered something to add to my Pace Calculator application. It seems for my Garmin, the max pace is not given, but the max speed is. This is a possible improvement that could be added to the Pace Calculator--to take run speed and translate into a pace.
I often wonder if I am just waisting my time with all this. I often wonder if I should just give up on all this. There are household and family projects that I often put on the "back burner" as an attempt to do all of this. Not to mention this is less time that I spend with my family. So often, things get overlooked when I start these projects: not to mention the fact that I might consider going to grad-school. Grad-School, how do you shuffle that into the mix? For the working individual, time is a valuable commodity. For me, I have so much vaction time that I need to use this year, that perhaps, I will get do completing all the things I want to accomplish (this would be a great year to go to grad-school because of that).
I would also like to place a lot of the code from the many projects that I have done on a "web reprository" (at least on a web page local to the home network). That way, I know where they are. This old code has so many good examples. Not only that, but I can put my .bashrc from Linux on there as a way of remembering how and what to set up (as well as the .vimrc). Plus, any thing else I would like to remember, but forgot--like setting up an executable JAR file. This is something I have NEVER documented!!! I can't believe that! How stupid am I?
Well, I just need the disciplie to "Just Do It" (as Nike would put it). In the end, writting this out did help. Well, it is now time to start taking action. That is what all this comes down to: stop talking and start doing.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Placed the code/documentation on the code.google.com site
After some much debate, I went to code.google.com and set up a new project. This is the place where the code will reside. It will serve two purposes:
Regardless, the application and source code is now published and available for all who want or need it. I am sure there will not be many downloads, BUT that is OK: no one ever reads this blog anyway. Ah, the great thing of being in the world of cyberspace (ha, ha).
- A code repository: I will no longer have to back things up locally. I forget where I put the code, I make multiple backups and I always loose track of which version on which backup is the latest. Yes, it is true, I could just look at the file date, but I am too lazy and this is much easier.
- Publishing the code/application publicly. As stated earlier, the code is registered in the GNU Public License Version 3, so there is no concern of piracy: it is for everybody, regardless.
Regardless, the application and source code is now published and available for all who want or need it. I am sure there will not be many downloads, BUT that is OK: no one ever reads this blog anyway. Ah, the great thing of being in the world of cyberspace (ha, ha).
Monday, July 28, 2008
(Goofy) Mission Statement
Now that the application is complete, this blog is essentially finished. But, I would like to share my personal mission statement related to software development. I am not worried about getting mocked for this, since no one will read this blog anyway.
I don't know who first said it, but it has become my mantra: Software should benefit mankind, not bankrupt it. I don't make large software applications. In fact, this is just a hobby to keep my skills sharp. Regardless of what people may think, I have published my development strategy here in this blog. It is for the entire world to see for better or worse.
I would encourage all people to use their talents for the pursuit of the benefit of mankind. Part of that means helping those in need. Since my software that I develop is free, I would encourage people who use it to donate some of their time and/or money to their favorite charitable organization as an expression of gratitude for all the gifts they have received in their lives (if nothing else, my free software). If any of you do not have a favorite charity, here are a few of mine:
If you have any comments about the software, code or the (albeit minor) mission statement, please feel free to email me.
Lou Rosas
I don't know who first said it, but it has become my mantra: Software should benefit mankind, not bankrupt it. I don't make large software applications. In fact, this is just a hobby to keep my skills sharp. Regardless of what people may think, I have published my development strategy here in this blog. It is for the entire world to see for better or worse.
I would encourage all people to use their talents for the pursuit of the benefit of mankind. Part of that means helping those in need. Since my software that I develop is free, I would encourage people who use it to donate some of their time and/or money to their favorite charitable organization as an expression of gratitude for all the gifts they have received in their lives (if nothing else, my free software). If any of you do not have a favorite charity, here are a few of mine:
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul
- Catholic Relief Services
- The American Red Cross
- The Red Crescent
- The American Cancer Society
- Caridad de Porres
- Big Brothers Big Sisters
- Urban Promise
- America's Second Harvest
- Mother Teresa of Calcutta Center
If you have any comments about the software, code or the (albeit minor) mission statement, please feel free to email me.
Lou Rosas
Final thoughts
This application was not for practical use. This application was for my own self interest. Unfortunately, that might mean a waste of bandwidth on this blog site, but if the readers don't like it, they don't have to read it. This was for me to chronicle an application (albeit simple) from inception to analysis design and implementation. Finally, for release. This code is registered under the GNU General Public License, so it is by default free. I have no intention of making any money on it. To be honest, I doubt anyone will download it anyway.
But, it was worth it from my point of view, since I have chronicled the steps I normally take when developing an application (at least a small one). This will be very valuable to me: since I can almost guarantee I will reference this site often in my development endeavors.
But, it was worth it from my point of view, since I have chronicled the steps I normally take when developing an application (at least a small one). This will be very valuable to me: since I can almost guarantee I will reference this site often in my development endeavors.
It looks like everything is complete
As stated earlier, I will post on this blog when the software and source code are uploaded to sourceforge.net.
As for this blog, it looks like the application is complete. It is four months overdue! What should have been done in a week (or even a day for that matter), took far too long. From a practical standpoint, this application should not have even been started--a simple spreadsheet can perform what this application does (and it probably performs it better).
As for this blog, it looks like the application is complete. It is four months overdue! What should have been done in a week (or even a day for that matter), took far too long. From a practical standpoint, this application should not have even been started--a simple spreadsheet can perform what this application does (and it probably performs it better).
I can't just upload jar files.
It appears I just can not upload jar files! So, I neither will be posting the code nor the executable jar file here. I have placed a request into sourceforge, so when that comes through, I will store the code there, put a link on this blog to both the source and executable. I doubt I will have many downloads, since this was a personal project that took way too long to complete.
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